It would have happened anyway
by veronique2
Summary: "Ladies and gentlemen, on the paper I just drew, there are two names. This therefore invalidates the paper because of its non-regulation format." She turned to Peeta. He looks puzzled."I am so very sorry, but given the conditions, I'll have to select another paper. I hope you are not too disappointed."I am in shock. Peeta Mellark is saved.
1. Chapter 1

Hey! This is a fiction I already wrote in French. I wanted to share it with you guys who speak English too. I hope you will like it!

Thanks to my two beta GracefullyFallingDown who is SUPER FRICKEN AWESOME (okay, this is me, GracefullyFallingDown writing this...don't judge). For this chapter . The second amazing beta is : Future Fantasy Writer

Chapter 1

Katniss's POV

Effie Trinket plunges her hand into the huge glass bowl where my name, Katniss Everdeen, is written on twenty-two slips of paper. I don't worry too much for Prim, even if I'm still tense. The representative of the Capitol withdraws her hand, a slip of paper clutched in her small, sweaty palm. I hold my breath as I fix my eyes on Gale's face. His stoic expression reassures me.

"Sarasah Williams".

It's not me, or Prim. All the tension in my body leaves. I look at Prim with slack-jawed relief, and as she continues to grasp my hand, Gale and I share an almost happy look.

Almost.

I do not know Sarasah Williams. The poor girl appears not much older than Prim as she cries on the stage.

"Now for the boys!" Effie declares, smiling brilliantly with too-white teeth.

I pray that Gale's name won't be chosen. Tension invades my body again, lacing my veins with icy fear. _Not Gale. Please, God, not Gale._

"Peeta Mellark."

_Not him, either_, I immediately think. I know his name. I turn my head to see his shocked face as he tries to contain his emotions. I'm sure my face is a mixture of sadness, revolt, and anger. This is a nightmare. That boy, Peeta Mellark, saved my life four years ago. He is a symbol, my symbol, of hope. This can't be happening. I never even got to thank him. I always pushed the deadline by finding an excuse. Now...well, now it's too late.

"Katniss, you're hurting me," I hear Prim's high, quavering voice. I was crushing her small hand. I let go of her, but my eyes can't leave Peeta.

"You look sick, Katniss. Did you know him?" She's already referring to him in the past tense. That's how bad things are when you're from District 12 and you go to the Hunger Games.

I can't answer her. It is too difficult to say even one word. Nobody knows what Peeta did for me. What it meant to my family. I never told a soul.

Suddenly, I'm aware that there's commotion in the crowd. I see Effie Trinket, who seems agitated, speaking to the Mayor and Haymitch, the only victor from District 12, ever. After few minutes, Effie returns to the microphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, on the paper I just drew, there are two names. This therefore invalidates the paper because of its non-regulation format." She turned to Peeta. He looks puzzled.

"I am so very sorry, but given the conditions, I'll have to select another paper. I hope you are not too disappointed."

Peeta seems confused when the Peacekeepers ask him to come down from the stage and go back to his place in the middle of the other young men.

I am in shock. Peeta Mellark is saved. I begin to regain the capacity to breathe.

"I'll draw another name now! Be ready!"

Gale comes back into my thoughts immediately. I turn my head toward him, my thoughts plagued with how unfair it was to taunt him with a chance at freedom, only to throw it back in his face five minutes later. He thought he was saved from the Hunger Games and now... now we don't know. I hold my breath again. I'm trying to comfort him with my eyes, but I'm just as scared as he is.

Effie has a new slip of paper in her hand. I pray for Gale, even though find it hard to believe that, if there is a God, he would let us live this way. I don't want to experience again what happened when Peeta's name came out.

"Oliver Cowell."

The relief I feel is overpowering. I glance at Gale, but he doesn't look relieved. He watches darkly as the 13-year-old boy who is going to be sent to his death climbs on the stage: a Seam boy. The tribute for the year, once again, came from the mining sector. Miners aren't cut out for the arena.

I understand that it is difficult to rejoice.

Half an hour later, everything is done. Prim and I are with Gale and his family. No one really says it, but everyone is relieved for Gale. It was his last year of eligibility.

I spend the evening at the Hawthornes' house. At one point, Gale asks me to come with him into the garden, and we stroll out into the fresh, cold night.

"This...I just...Seam tributes again? It's like they just want to...just beat us down until we die."

I look at him with big, fearful eyes. The streets are crawling with Peacekeepers, and he spoke too loudly.

"When I think of that merchant son who was reaped, but then was let go..." His voice slices through the crisp night angrily. "It makes me think there was...cheating."

One thing that I most definitely don't want to think about right now is Peeta, and the emotions that had invaded me when he was temporarily reaped. In addition, I don't know what to say. I don't think it's possible for a merchant to cheat at this point. Gale's view is just clouded by anger.

"They probably paid Effie. Who is that boy, anyway? Why is he so important?"

"He's the baker's son, Gale. The one we trade with every Sunday." He stays silent for a moment. "You should be ashamed, Gale Hawthorne! The reaping is unfair for everyone."

I turn on my heel and walk away, returning to the house and our families.

X

"Peeta Mellark."

I wake up in a cold sweat. Effie Trinket's voice still echoes in my head, and I'm quivering between my suffocating sheets. I lie there for a few seconds, just concentrating on breathing, and I remember that in the end, by an incredible stroke of fate, Peeta was still here.

"Safe."

I cannot back down now. I learned that lesson harshly, when I saw him stepping into that stage. I am more determined than ever to go thank him for his kindness and finally be free of my debt.

I have a second chance, and I intend to use it.

Nevertheless, everything's easier said than done. I don't know if it's because I hate to be indebted to people, or because I'm as proud as a peacock, or if it is something else entirely, but the idea of talking to him always paralyzes me.

I'm somewhat ashamed of my fear, because he's probably the least scary person on the face of the earth. He's nice, he's talkative, and I've never seen him say a cruel word to anyone. And yet, I, Katniss Everdeen, who crosses the electric fence weekly to go hunting, who routinely shoots and kills game four times bigger than myself, who single-handed my supported my family for years after my father died, am afraid to say thank you.

I don't think I can do it. When I see him, we don't talk. In fact, we barely acknowledge each other. I'm the invisible girl. He probably doesn't even remember what he did for me all those years ago. On the other hand, sometimes I catch him stare at me when he thinks I'm not looking. I'm just afraid he's...angry with me, I guess. After all, he took a beating from his witch of a mother because he dared to help me.

X

Yesterday, I missed the opportunity to thank him again. I don't want that to happen again.

It's lunch break. I glance quickly at the table where Peeta's sitting. As always, he's surrounded by his friends. I still have the afternoon to make an attempt, I suppose. All is not lost, Katniss! You can still do it!

Madge, who shares my lunch break with me, looks at me strangely. It must have been the fifth time that I look quickly toward Peeta's table, and usually I don't pay attention to anyone, so I can understand her concern.

"So you were surprised by what happened yesterday, too?" she asks. "The paper with Peeta Mellark's name and another one on it."

Phew, it's true. Everyone is looking at Peeta this morning because yesterday's reaping.

"Yes."

Madge eats a piece of her sandwich as I casually stalk Peeta's every move with my eyes. He leaves his friends earlier than usual, and doesn't really seem that happy for someone who had been recently saved from having to face the horror of the Hunger Games.

"Katniss...I admire Peeta a lot." Madge's voice cuts into my thoughts.

I was not expecting this.

"Why?"

"Yesterday, he went to see Effie and Haymitch to volunteer instead of Oliver. He said that it was his name that was out first... You know, even if it wasn't a valid ballot or whatever. That it should be him and not Oliver."

I just lost my appetite. On the one hand, I am not surprised. It is the boy who saved my life, after all. On the other, I feel a dull anger mounting in me.

"They refused, because there were no more cameras...it was too late to volunteer. They told him that he could volunteer for next year.

"And?"

"I don't know. They noticed me there and my dad asked me to leave. Why did Peeta do that? You know, I know this isn't true, but Seam people say that he is a coward, and that his family probably paid Effie, and it's his fault if that little Seam boy dies."

I stopped to listen few seconds ago, and now I get up suddenly.

"I have something to do," I say in dull tone.

X

I'm looking for Peeta, my blood boiling with fear and anticipation. I find him in the hallway. He is looking for something in his locker, rooting around in its contents, arms halfway disappearing. I walk briskly toward him, trying to be fast so I don't lose my nerve.

I stop directly in front of him, and he looks up at me in surprise as I slam his locker shut before he has a chance to.

"Tell me you didn't volunteer for next year."

He watches me, questions written across his face. "How did you...?"

"Madge," I reply. "So?"

"No...it's Oliver that I wanted to save. Next year, he will be already dead." His voice is flat, lifeless.

"Oh god, what a relief." I breathe again, and suddenly, I realize that I just started a conversation with Peeta. Well, I yelled at him like a crazy **, at least.

"Thanks, Katniss." He says warmly, and smiles at me. He really has a beautiful smile. Why did he thank me? It should be the other way around.

"I didn't forget the bread...four years ago... " Okay, that didn't come out as smoothly as I planned it. He interrupts me.

"Me either. I...I think about it every day."

I most definitely was NOT expecting that answer. My mind is reeling as I notice other people now entering the hallway, but none come close enough to us to pick up our conversation.

My mind is blank. I cannot think of anything to say.

"I gotta go..." I turn on my heel, wondering if there is a stupider person in existence than me. My guess is HELL no. I've never been good with words, but I seemed to reach a whole new level today.

Later, in my bed, I toss and turn. I can't sleep.

Peeta's voice echoes in my mind, "I think about it every day."

X

In the morning, my head is heavy as I walk to school. As I open my almost-empty locker, I notice a small slip of paper. It looks like a note. I grab it and unfold it, exposing looping, ornate handwriting written in black ink.

We should talk. I'll wait for you near the hole in the fence after school.

-Peeta

I fold up the note and hide it at the bottom of my locker, very glad that he was braver than I was and took the initiative.

I'll finally be able to say thank you.

Thank you for reading. If you liked it. Please let a review ^^


	2. Chapter 2

Hi ^^ I want to thank everybody who decided to follow and favorites this story. Special thanks to my reviewers : _GothGirl69 __rochay97 _jenjentheboscostick _Kiwi_

**I also need to find a new beta. One of my beta is sick and the other is unavable. If I want to post the chapter 3 next week. I need a beta as soon as possible. If you are interested please Pm me. **

Chapter 2

Once classes are over, I head to the fence to wait for Peeta to arrive. After a few moments, I feel a tap on my back. It's him.

"I was behind the tree. I didn't want to get caught by the Peacekeepers." I had forgotten that most normal people don't constantly break the most important rule of District 12, so he was probably kind of freaked out by this whole situation. I nod understandingly and try to think of something to say.

"We should go to the forest," I say bluntly.

He looks slightly torn, like he's not sure what to do. I don't blame him. Not everyone can be like Gale and me, especially townies. They follow the rules, for the most part.

"I—I guess. I can't stay long, though. I have work at the bakery." I may have been too quick to judge him. Maybe he is different from the soft, rule-abiding townies.

"I just wanna talk to you really fast, and I don't want anybody listening," I say as I grab his hand and lead him to the hole in the fence. I pause and listen for the buzz of electricity that's supposed to be there, but never is, and then crawl through. Peeta tries to get through, but he is a lot bigger than Gale and I, and he ends up shedding his shirt to smithereens, but he just pulls it off and tosses it to the forest floor.

We walk a short distance into the woods and settle down on two large stones, sitting so that we face each other. I try to think of something that's not too idiotic to say, but before I can make a fool of myself, he begins to talk.

"Katniss. About that bread that I threw you. I do think about it every day, believe me. And I just want to say…I'm so sorry. I—I shouldn't have just thrown them. You're not a pig or something. I should have just walked over there and given them to you, but I—I was so scared and—I've wanted to talk to you for so long, but—I was just ashamed. I'm so sorry, Katniss."

What the hell? Is he serious!? _That's_ why he spent the last four years ignoring me? Because he thought I was _mad_?

I feel my face heat up. I can't believe that he's actually apologizing right now.

"STOP!" I yell, and slap a hand over my mouth. Damn, can't I talk to him like a normal person? "Sorry…meant to say, if somebody should be saying sorry, it's me. You…you saved my life that day with that bread, and I never got to thank you. So, thanks. I owe ya one." I'm quite impressed with myself, after having completed the previously impossible feat of speaking to him for more than 20 seconds and not screaming like I'm mentally unstable.

"You don't owe me anything, Katniss."

"But you saved me and my family. I'm pretty sure I'm kind of indebted to you." I say, cocking my eyebrow questioningly.

"Well, whatever. I'm cancelling your debt then."

"But—no! That's not how it works!" I reply stubbornly, crossing my arms.

"Maybe not, but I just don't see things like that, I guess." There's no aggression in his smooth voice. He's simply stating a fact.

I frown, confused at how unselfish he is. "How—how are you so fricken' good? Why don't you want me to repay your kindness? Why did you volunteer for Oliver? No offence, but if you wanna stay alive, that's not how you should be playing the game."

His face became very serious, and he looks very sad, with guilt mixed in to his expression. "You saw Oliver. If he had been an 18-year-old boy... okay. But he was so skinny, so afraid, and he doesn't stand a chance. I was the one they reaped. I was the one who should go. I wasn't lucky to be saved, because a little boy was condemned. So, I had to try. I had to."

Somebody is going to take advantage of this guy someday, with his kind heart and selfless attitude.

"This is not your fault. If there's anyone who should feel guilty, it's the guy who labeled the slip wrong. God, I hope he gets in trouble. And don't forget, Effie said somebody else's name was on the slip, so it's not just you who was saved."

I really want him to feel better. I'm also currently breaking the record for "longest time Katniss Everdeen has talked to someone outside of her immediate family." It's ridiculously easy to talk to him. Unlike Gale, he doesn't interrupt me constantly until I eventually forget what I'm going to say.

"I…I never thought of it like that... I thought this was all my fault, but..." He stays silent, and then, with shy smile, says, "You score a point, Miss Everdeen. You know, all day I've had Seam people looking at me like I killed Oliver myself, and my friends keep on telling me 'You're really a lucky guy,' but I couldn't stop thinking about Oliver, how it was my fault, but you—that was exactly what I needed to hear."

Peeta's expression has changed to genuine relief. I'm happy that I was able to make him feel better, but I don't want to lose track of my original objective; repaying my debt to him.

"So, about what I owe you—"

"Katniss..." He sighs.

"I understand what you told me about how I don't owe you anything. But…this is important for me. I just want it out of my system, or it's going to be lodged in my mind forever."

There is a long silence.

"I—okay…" he says finally.

"Okay?" I ask incredulously.

"Sure, if it's that important to you. Just because we have different viewpoints doesn't mean I don't respect yours, but I just want to make sure that you know I mean it when I say I truly don't think you owe me anything." That was a lot simpler than I thought it was going to be. With Gale, we can fight about things for days before coming to a consensus.

"I understand that you don't think I owe you anything." I assure him.

"Well," he shoots me a smile, "I'll think or something. I'll leave you a note in your locker. Is this okay?"

"Perfect."

"I've gotta go. If I'm late, my mom won't be happy."

At the fence, I have to suppress a grin when he complains, "Why is the hole so damn small!?"

He wiggles through and is gone before I have a chance to say goodbye.

X

The evening, I'm undoing Prim's braids in our room, and her blonde hair reminds me of Peeta. I am still amazed that our talk was so easy. It makes me feel pretty stupid for avoiding him all this time, too afraid to speak for fear of his anger.

I understand now why he has so many friends. However, today, none of his friends were able to find the words to make him feel better. No, that special privilege was reserved only for me.

It's ironic that I, a perfect stranger and not the most talented person at making others feel better, was the only one who could comfort him.

Tonight, I fall asleep easily.

X

The next day, in my locker, I find a small note.

_Katniss-_

_After a lot of deliberation, I know what I want . Take me to the prettiest place you can think of in the forest. Is Saturday a good day for you? I have the whole day off. _

_-Peeta._

Saturday is a good day for me. I wrack my brains for the best places in the forest as I walk to class.

I cannot wait for Saturday.

Please review ^^ .


	3. Chapter 3

I want to thank the people who took the time to leave me a review. It's so much appreciated and makes me so happy ^^. It's always nice to have a review. It gives you the strengh to continue to post and it's really good to know what people thinks about your story. Big thank to all of you.

I also want to thank My betas, Futurefantasywriter. She does an incredible job and Missingmommy.

I hope you will enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 3

Katniss's POV

It's another useless morning at school. Here in District 12, nothing we learn can actually be used for something. We cannot choose our future. The children of the Seam will go to work at the mine; the townies will work at the merchants' shops.

If only I could be in the forest, hunting, to trade for some fabric so that my mother could sew a pretty dress for Prim. That thought makes me remember that this afternoon, the girls have three hours of sewing class. It's extremely boring. Women here only have to know how to sew and cook. The cooking class is a joke. What's to cook in this district, really? We learn out of books, of course, with no real practice- everything is only in theory. But the most horrible class I have to attend is the one that is supposed to tell us how to take care of a baby. I loathe that class.

Tomorrow afternoon, I'll go to the forest to get ready for Saturday. I have to make sure I know what path to take to go to the waterfall. It's weird to think that I'm going to spend a whole day with Peeta Mellark, the boy with the bread. I wonder if we'll get along. We live in separate worlds and we certainly have nothing in common. Besides, I'm not used to talking to boys. Gale is the only exception, and he's different. He comes from the Seam like me, and we share the same ideas, the same sad past with the loss of our fathers, and the duty to feed our families. We are alike.

The bell rings for lunch. The first years eat first today, including me. Good, I'm starving. As I walk down the hall, I realize that it's happening again. People are staring at me. What the hell? I decide to ignore them and go into the cafeteria. Madge isn't here yet, so I sit at our table and get out my lunch. The town section begins to fill as more students arrive.

I take a bite of my sandwich when I see him: Peeta. At ease, as always, surrounded by his friends. He laughs at something one of his friends says. He really has a beautiful laugh. I realize that I'm staring at him and return to eating my lunch, resolving not to look back at him.

Madge finally arrives, late.

"Hello, Katniss. Can I sit with you?"

I am surprised. Why did she think she had to ask permission? We've been eating together for a long time. We don't ask each other anymore.

"Of course, Madge." She moves next to me, smiling a small smile.

"Anything wrong, Madge?"

"I'm sorry if I upset you yesterday."

"What?"

"Yesterday, you left while I was still talking. You looked really angry."

Katniss Everdeen has done it again. I was so upset by what she said that I hadn't even realized how rude I was.

"No, Madge, of course it's not your fault! I was just deep in thought. I'm sorry I was rude."

"Thank you."

What I like about Madge is that she's not nosy. And in this case, I'm very grateful for it. We eat in silence.

"Katniss, I can ask you a question?"

I frown.

"It is true that you assaulted Peeta Mellark yesterday?"

I nearly choke. "What?"

"Everybody is talking about it. Some people are saying that yesterday, you came up to him and threatened him."

Yikes, I guess our meeting would look like that from far away. Now I understand why people have been looking at me all morning.

"No, not at all. They don't know what they're talking about." For a minute, I struggle to put an explanation into words.

I continue. "I met him in the hallway. I just told him not to do anything stupid, you know, about volunteering. That's all. I hope you don't mind that I told him, what you told me." Did she mean it to be a secret?

"Oh...no, I wanted to tell him that, too, but... I'm too shy. It's good you told him."

"Yes, but you know how I am with these situations."

"I guess," says Madge.

Our lunch time is over, and it's the last years' turn. While I'm leaving, I spot Gale.

"Hey, Catnip."

"Hi, Gale. How are you?"

"We have to talk." His tone is serious.

"Okay. Prim and I will wait for you after class."

I'm uneasy. Gale has undoubtedly heard the rumors about me and Peeta. He will want an explanation. The problem is that Gale is not like Madge. He is not going to settle for a vague response. If I tell him what happened, that I went to see Peeta because of what he tried to do for Oliver, he will ask me why I care so much about the baker's son. And he won't drop the subject until I've explained everything. He knows me better than Madge. He'll know that I did what I did because it was important somehow. And it's out of the question that I tell Gale about the bread. I'm not usually good at keeping secrets, but I would like to keep the boy with the bread to myself.

I never told anyone. For some reason that I don't understand, I don't want to share it. I've told neither Gale nor Prim. Maybe it's my damn pride. I'll just have to find a story that Gale will buy.

I spend my three-hour sewing class trying to think of a realistic lie. I prick my fingers a dozen times in my distraction. But I finally find a story that will do the trick, as long as I can tell it believably. I'm not very good at lying.

I leave with Prim, who has had a very good day. She tells me about her national resources class. I hate that class, too, because it reminds me of how we district-dwellers are enslaved for those resources.

Gale is already waiting for us at the exit, eager to know what happened. I immediately feel stressed out.

He says "hi" to Prim, then looks at me suspiciously. We begin to walk together.

"Katniss?" Prim asks.

"Yes, little duck?"

"Is it true that you hit the baker's son yesterday?"

Hit? It amazes me how far the rumors have spread, and how the story has changed every time I've heard it.

"Everybody was asking me questions, all day, and I didn't answer them, since you didn't tell me anything." Prim says. "I didn't believe it, of course. But Rory told me that one of his buddies saw you."

Be brave, Katniss. You didn't waste away your afternoon thinking of a good excuse for nothing. Gale stares at me. He wants an answer as well.

"I heard about it too, Catnip. I heard that you threatened him and shoved him. What did he do to you? Because if he did something to you, I'll make him pay for it, baker's son or not."

The typical reaction I expected from Gale.

"People blew this way out of proportion. I didn't hit him or shove him or threaten him." But this wasn't enough for Gale, of course.

"Catnip, they said that you violently slammed the door of his locker and yelled at him. What did he do to make you react like that?"

"He's right, Katniss," Prim says. My little sister is concerned. Awesome.

"Okay, I've been a bit rude to him because...because..." Damn, Katniss, you have repeated it in your head a thousand times for hours. I breathe in and out.

"A guy bumped into me and made me fall."

"Who?" Gale interrupts forcefully.

"I don't know, a guy, a second year, I don't know."

"Would you be able to recognize him?" Gale asks.

"No, I..."

"And so? About the baker's son?" Prim asks. My brave, lovable little sister comes to my rescue without even knowing.

"P- well, the baker's son, he was there and he lectured the guy, asking him to apologize."

"Oh, that's nice!" exclaims Prim.

I am very careful to not cross Gale's eyes. I know he is about to ask why Peeta would defend me.

"Nice? Prim, people never do something for nothing," Gale says.

Bingo.

Prim shrugs.

"And so?"

"When it happened, I didn't say anything, but afterwards I was upset. I don't need anyone to defend me." I stare steadily at Gale. "I don't need his protection. I'm not a weak girl who needs a guy to shield her!"

I am proud of myself. I know that this argument will fly with Gale.

"Katniss...he wanted to help you. I don't see what's wrong with being protected." Prim throws me a look that makes me feel ashamed, even if I'm lying.

"Prim, you need to be careful. You should follow your sister's lead," Gale said.

"Basically, I was furious, so I went to see him. I slammed the door of his locker, telling him that I didn't need help from anyone, because I knew how to defend myself, and I told him I don't owe him anything."

Gale gave me a wide smile and a pride-filled gaze. I knew that I had gotten away with my lie.

"Well said, Catnip! We should all be careful. God knows what he would have asked for you to do in return."

"Yes."

We arrive in front of our door. Prim goes into our house, and I stick with Gale.

"Catnip, I want to go take a quick glance at my traps. Want to come with me?"

"Sure." I open the door and I yell, "Prim, I'm going with Gale. I'll be back later."

"Okay." I hear her voice from the top of the stairs.

Going into the forest will do me good, even if we don't have much time before sunset.

"Oh, wait! I'll be back quickly. I'm going to get a tool." I have just suddenly thought of something.

I get the desired tool, and we set off again towards the fence. Once there, we check that it is not electrified.

"Wait, Gale, can you keep watch for two seconds?"

"Why?"

I get out the scissors. I want to enlarge the hole.

"Cover me, and look out, you'll see when I'm done."

He obeys and turns back. I start to cut the fence to enlarge the hole a little. Gale looks back at me, wide-eyed.

"Catnip, what are you doing?" he says, confused.

"A slightly larger hole..."

"I can see that, but what good would that do? Catnip, we don't need to enlarge the hole. Why are you doing that?"

I won two centimetres in circumference.

"What the hell is going on with you? What are you trying to do?" He glares at me.

I can't tell him I wanted to enlarge the hole a little bit for Peeta. I don't want him to shred another shirt.

"A wild boar," I reply.

Gale shakes his head. "A wild boar?" He looks at me as if I have fallen on my head.

"Yes, do you remember when we saw a boar? With a bigger hole, next time we could kill it and it would fit through the hole."

He starts to laugh.

"Why are you laughing?" I protest.

"How can I explain this to you? We would need a hole much bigger than this one! You really can't judge size very well. Beside, a larger hole would be too suspicious, so stop, please."

I shrug and we go through the fence.

I can still hear him chuckling behind me. It is true that the wild boar excuse is completely ridiculous. But when I thought of something that would be square as Peeta, a wild boar came to mind. Not that Peeta resembles a wild boar. He is just so stocky.

We check the snares. Two rabbits are caught in them. We decide to go back, and Gale sighs.

"In less than six months, at this time, I'll be at the mine."

He's right. It's Gale's last year in school. Next year, he will have to work at the mine like everybody else.

"We will only be able to meet on Sundays." His voice is soft and sad.

I hadn't thought about that. Oh no. The weeks are going to be insanely long without my best friend.

"Don't worry, Gale, I'll check your snares for you during the week." It's all I can say.

"Thank you." He looks a bit disappointed with what I've said.

"I wish you didn't have to go down there, Gale."

"You know, I spend my days cursing the Capitol. If there were more people like us, we could change things. But my friends, they've just stopped caring. What happens to us is unacceptable, but they accept it anyway. All they can think about is the girl they want to invite to our last year's school dance. Even that dance is a joke…it's so lame every year because we don't have any money."

I understand Gale's frustration. But there's nothing we can do. We're doomed to our miserable fate. Nothing can change that.

"I can't understand my friends. All they can think about now is that dance. Seriously? At least we won't be with the merchants. They have their own dance, with food and money to spend on it, but all the Seam gets is…one last blow to our self-esteem."

He took a stone and threw it with rage. I had never given any thought to the last-years' dance, to tell the truth. I don't even want to go when it's my last year. I wonder if Gale will go after what he said. I wonder if he's already asked a girl to go with him.

"I don't even know if I'll go, Catnip. My mother wants me to go. She told me to take advantage of my last months before going to the mine, even if the dance isn't as great as it should be. But _I_ don't want to. Besides, the only girl that I'd like to invite can't go."

My curiosity is immediately aroused. He already has a girl in mind? The thought makes me feel weird. Of course, I had already known that one day, I would lose my best friend. Someday, his Sundays will be dedicated to the girl he'll be in love with. And I'll be all alone. I don't want to lose my hunting partner and my friend. I'm not ready to let him go yet. It feels too soon.

"What girl? Do I know her?" I still want to know the name of his girl. I already dislike her, because she'll steal my only friend. My very best friend, my confidant. The only person, besides Prim, with whom I can be myself.

"Yes," Gale answers.

"Oh..."

Gale tears a clump of grass from the ground. "I wish it were possible for her to go, but it's not."

"Oh! I see. It's a merchant's girl," I exclaim.

His eyes grow wide.

"Catnip, what is going on with you?!" He is outraged by what I have just said. I stare blankly at him. Why is it so difficult for him to tell me who the girl is?

He rolls his eyes. "No, the girl that I would like to invite but who cannot come is YOU, Katniss. Since you're a first year, you can't go." His voice softens.

"Oh!" I suddenly realize that there's no special girl for Gale right now. I'm relieved.

"Yes...but if you could? Would you come with me?" He asks me, his voice very deep.

"Of course! It would be an honor to go with my best friend and hunting partner!"

I'm genuine. And I him give a friendly pat on the back.

"Thank you." His voice has lost all its happiness.

"It's getting late. We should hurry," I say.

End of chapter 3

As you read, Peeta wasn't in this chapter but don't worry he will be next time, in a longer chapter.

For this chapter 3, I feel a bit sad for Gale. LOL he tried. ^^

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 4

Katniss's POV

It's five o'clock on Saturday morning, and I barely slept during the night. I was too worried about meeting him. If I hadn't promised Peeta, I would back out now. But I told him I would show him a beautiful place.

I take a water bottle and my meal basket. This week, Prim made goat cheese, so I include that in the basket. I check one last time to make sure I haven't forgotten anything, and I'm leaving. The light is still dim outside, but the promise of a sunny day is here.

He is already there when I arrive at the fence. He is smiling widely and seems very awake. He probably slept soundly, unlike me. He's brought a big bag with him.

"That's a big bag you've got." I point at his bag.

"I know, but there was some stuff I really needed to bring."

"You don't look tired at all. I'm impressed, since it's only six o'clock."

"Usually I get up at 4:30 in the morning, when it's my turn to work at the bakery."

That explains it. I feel stupid.

I pass through the fence, and he passes me the bag. It's not actually that heavy. I wonder if Peeta will have trouble going through the fence this time. But this time, the hole is large enough for him. I'm proud of myself.

"Oh! I didn't have trouble this time." He looks surprised, then looks at me in awe. "You made the hole bigger for me?"

I shrugs. He gives me a wide, sweet smile. I shiver. Strange, because it isn't cold at all.

"Thanks, Katniss."

"Let's go! The waterfall isn't very close. It will take a while. I hope you don't mind a long walk in the forest."

He shakes his head, and he doesn't hide his enthusiasm. I can tell he is thrilled to be here. I feel relaxed, not pressured. The day won't be long and painful, like I was dreading.

"I need to take my bow. You never know if you'll meet game on the road. I don't want to miss an opportunity."

He nods.

"Katniss. About what happened at my locker…my friends haven't stopped nagging me about it."

Right, of course they would. I wonder what he told them.

"What did you say?"

"I didn't want them to know about- you know, about Oliver and what I tried to do, so I made up a story. I'll tell you what I said to them. I hope you won't be mad at me."

I hope he didn't say anything stupid that would make me look bad.

"Well, I'm listening. What did you say to them?"

"Well, I tried to think of what you would do." He seems a bit shy, suddenly. "I said that a guy made you drop your books, and then I helped you and you were mad at me, because you aren't a damsel in distress who needs help." He says this all very quickly. I'm stunned, because my own lie was so similar.

"Are you angry?" he asks.

"No, just surprised, because I said about the same thing to my sister." I avoid mentioning Gale.

He looks stunned as well.

"That's cool. We made up the same story."

We arrive at the place where I hide my bow. I wonder if I can trust him. Can I show him where I hide it? Then, I remember: he is the boy with the bread. He took a beating to save my life. I don't hesitate anymore and take my bow.

"Can I see it?" He's very curious.

"Yes." I show him, but I don't want him to touch it. My bow is very valuable. He examines it with interest.

"It's a beautiful bow."

"Yes, my father made it himself," I say proudly. "Let's go." The sun is up now. I'll start seeing animals soon. It will be great to hunt. Except for one huge problem I quickly notice: the noise Peeta makes when he walks. I didn't even think it was humanly possible to make that much noise; he sounds like an elephant. Every step that he takes literally hurts my ears. After ten minutes, I can't handle the situation anymore. I lose my patience.

"Peeta, could you make a little less noise when you walk? If you could try not to step on every dead branch? The animals won't go near us." I try my best to sound nice.

"Oh! Sorry, yes. I'll be careful."

Yet nothing changes. He walks like a hippopotamus. I would be annoyed if he weren't trying his best not to make any noise. It's strangely cute, because he fails miserably.

"Sorry. I'm not actually that heavy. I think it's because of my wrestling habits. We learn to have our feet fully planted on the ground."

That's logical. It's not his fault.

"So Peeta, why do you wrestle?"

"It's a family tradition. All the Mellarks have been on the wrestling team. It was basically my mother's decision. I'm not bad at wrestling. Almost beat my brother last year."

"You can still try to beat him this year."

"Well, I don't know if I could ever beat him. He's strong."

"I bet you could. You can easily lift those hundred-pound flour sacks."

"You've seen me carry the sacks of flour? But our deliveries are really early, and only once a month." He is frowning now. Damn! Did I just sound like a stalker or something?

"I saw you one time, when I went to the town early to sell strawberries."

In fact, I realise now, that I have always kept an eye on Peeta. I had also known that he was on the wrestling team.

The heat of a ray of sunlight warms my face. Peeta stops abruptly.

"What?"

He is struck by something. I look at the surroundings, but I don't see anything in particular.

"It's magnificent, Katniss. It's beautiful."

I feel stupid, not seeing what he's talking about.

"What's beautiful?"

He looks at me strangely.

"Open your eyes, Katniss. The sunlight is making a path through the trees and it's landing on the stream. It looks like the water is filled with diamonds. It's breathtaking."

I still don't see what he means.

He approaches me.

"Look, Katniss." He turns his head toward the trees and I notice the rays passing through the foliage. "The colors of the leaves, see the rays." It's true that it's pretty. In the forest, I don't usually have time to focus on these things. I'm always here to hunt, or to clear my head when I'm worried. I tilt my head to the angle of the sunbeams and his eyes are on the trickle of water. The water does shine. It looks like it contains dozens of small crystals. It's splendid. The water seems to be alive and sparkles like diamonds.

It seems like time has stopped. If paradise exists, I believe that Peeta has just opened the door for me. I feel as if I am in another world, far, far away from Panem.

"You see it now?"

"Yes. Thank you Peeta." It is _splendid_. The forest means so much to me- food, peace, and freedom- but I never paid attention before to its real beauty.

The sun's rays disappear behind a large white cloud. The magic moment flies.

"Let's go," I say. "We are almost there."

I can't wait for him to see the waterfall now.

About half an hour later, we arrive. This is not a big waterfall, but it has an enormous effect on Peeta. For several minutes, he remains silent, mouth partly open. His eyes are shiny. It makes me happy. Suddenly, he hugs me.

"Thank you, Katniss." I'm stunned by his attitude and do nothing. He lets go of me within a minute. Then he runs to see the waterfall. I still have not budged an inch. No boy, not even Gale, has hugged me before. I can still feel his strong arms around my body.

I do not know what to think. It was not unpleasant, but I felt like a fragile and tiny little thing in his big arms. I don't like the feeling. It felt weird. I have to tell him not to ever do that again.

I'm about to say so, but he is so excited to be here. He seems to be trying to watch the waterfall at every angle possible. Suddenly, he plunges his head into the water. It must be freezing. Is he crazy? When he comes up, his face is dripping and several strands of his hair are soaked. The sun bathes his face. Then he closes his beautiful blue eyes in order to fully feel the heat. He looks almost like a statue. His blonde hair seems to shine; he is dazzling. Eventually, he shakes his head and smiles at me. My heart is pounding.

"It's cold, but so good!" His cheerfulness is contagious. It is impossible to stay annoyed with Peeta Mellark. It's not important anymore what I was about to say about the hug. He is just a spontaneous person. I forgive him.

He settles on a large stone and opens his bag.

"What's that?" I ask.

"This is my small painting kit. I don't have much: a few brushes, black and white paint, and this sketch book."

He handles the objects with the same care that I do with my bow. I can't help but think everything must cost a fortune.

"Is the paint really expensive?"

He nods.

"I can't afford this stuff myself. Everything was a gift from Delly."

I know Delly. She is the girl who has always been with him since as long as I remember. She is exuberant, seems to like everyone, and is a little chubby.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Damn, why don't I think before speaking? What if he thinks it's not my business?

He looks me straight in the eyes.

"No, Delly is my best friend; more like my sister, in fact. We were born on the same day, and his mother and mine shared the same room in the maternity ward. I don't have a girlfriend."

I don't know why, but I have a sudden urge to run somewhere and escape his beautiful blue stare. But of course, I stay near him and try to act normal.

"I have to tell you something. At least I have to try to tell you."

I feel very tense, suddenly.

"Delly…she has a huge crush on your boyfriend."

"What?" I take a minute to try to understand what he just said. "What?" I repeat, like a parrot.

"Delly will kill me if she finds out that I told you about her crush." My brain is finally working again.

"Gale is not my boyfriend. He's _my_ best friend. There's nothing between us." He stares at me so intensely that I feel the need to add, "I don't want a boyfriend." He frowns.

"Oh, you like girls?" he says with surprise in his voice.

My mouth is wide open.

"What? No, I prefer boys." What the hell? Shut up, Katniss!

"Why don't you want a boyfriend? Gale is very handsome..."

"I don't care about them being handsome." He is starting to annoy me.

"Do you prefer boys who are ugly?"

What the hell? He is driving me crazy right now.

"No! It's just that having a boyfriend is the road to marriage and children, and I don't want children. I don't want them to have miserable, horrible lives because of the Hunger Games."

I can't believe I said that. It took months for me to tell Gale and I just…

He is staring at me again.

"I understand what you mean about having children." He is serious, but suddenly, he looks at me with a funny face.

"What?"

"It's just, you are so serious about it… You need to warn the boys who have a crush on you that you don't date, or want a boyfriend, because you don't want him to marry you!"

"What? No!"

"That's exactly what you said! You said you don't want a boyfriend, because you don't want to marry and have children."

"Yes!"

He's laughing. He is making fun of me, and I don't understand why.

"You know, you can have a boyfriend and not end up marrying him." He's still laughing.

I glare at him.

"I'm just joking. You're so serious about everything. You should breathe sometimes. Just live in the moment more."

I'm so pissed at him right now. "You know what? I'm going to hunt, because I feel like I need to kill something right now. Enjoy your waterfall, and I'll enjoy hunting without an elephant following me."

I leave, but turn my head to watch him when he can no longer see me. I'm so furious with him. He looks sad and upset, and I feel a bit guilty. He was only joking with me…no! He was mocking me, and he deserves to feel bad for it.

The silence of the forest calms me down. When I think about Peeta Mellark, I'm confused. He talks a lot, and he is so different than Gale. I kill a rabbit and a squirrel. Then I start to feel hungry. It's probably noon, already, so I return to the waterfall. When I arrive, I'm welcomed with a smile.

"I didn't want to make fun of you. I'm sorry. How was the hunt?"

"I caught a rabbit and a squirrel. I forgive you."

"I'm hungry. Let's eat," he declares, and we both open our bags to get out our meals.

I have a piece of bread, goat cheese, and a bit of stew. I look at his lunch: he has a box with a large portion of overcooked rice and a slice of ham- and a piece of bread that doesn't look fresh at all. I'm a bit surprised that his lunch doesn't look very good.

He takes the bread and tears off a piece. I realise that I'm staring at him. He runs his hand through his hair and looks ashamed.

"You must think this is strange…we eat only the leftovers. If we eat the fresh bread, then we lose profits and have less to sell."

I understand. I just feel stupid and ignorant for always believing that he and his family had plenty of food on their table.

"But it tastes good! The bread, I mean." He smiles. Watching him eat it depresses me. Maybe I should give him some of my goat cheese? No! He made fun of me, and he didn't have to hunt for his food. Even if it's tasteless, he always has food.

However, he seems to have a large appetite. We finish our meal, and I remark aloud that I should have picked some berries for my dessert. I have nothing now.

He takes a huge blueberry muffin from his bag. "Not fresh. We didn't sell it yesterday, and I managed to get it before my brothers did," he tells me proudly.

I am furious with myself. If I had not been a spiteful cow and had shared a little bit of my stew or the goat cheese, I would have had the right to ask for my share in return.

He takes the muffin and breaks it in half. To my surprise, he hands me half of it.

"For you," he says with a wide smile.

"I don't want it. I don't have anything to trade for it." If only I had shared my goat cheese with him earlier.

"I don't care. I took it for you, too."

I feel crappy. I do not deserve his kindness.

"Keep it," I reply.

But Peeta Mellark can be stubborn, and he decides to put half of the muffin on my knees. "I won't eat it. This is your part of the muffin. Do what you want with it. You can give it to squirrels if you want, because this is yours. And you don't owe me anything. I just want to share it with you because it makes me happy."

His comment reminds me of the conversation we had at the beginning of week. I will not feed the squirrels, and I can't waste food.

"Thank you." I take a bite, and I don't regret it. It is delicious- the best muffin I've ever eaten.

"Do you like it?"

I nod.

He smiles tenderly at me. His smiles are real traps. It is really impossible to stay upset with Peeta long, when he smiles like that.

Once we are done, he returns to his sketches. To my surprise, his drawings are great.

"I'm not finished. It's going to take me a few hours. Do you mind?"

I shake my head. "No, I'll watch you, if that's okay with you."

"Of course. But I'm not very talkative when I paint."

"That's okay."

He goes to work, and it's fascinating to see how his large hands wield brushes with such lightness, skill, and detail on the paper. Especially when I consider how heavy he is on his feet.

Like he said, he doesn't speak, but I am amazed to see the waterfall come to life on the paper. The more he works, the more I'm impressed. He is not just gifted, he has a real talent. He is totally concentrated, too; I believe that nothing but his painting exists for him right now.

This is yet another side of Peeta I've never seen before. I'm torn between the desire to bring him back to reality and have him to notice that I'm here, or to let him be.

I start to yawn. My eyes are slowly closing, probably because of my lack of sleep last night.

When I open them, I feel rather comfortable. It's weird, because last time I checked, there were no pillows in the forest. That's when I realize that I have my head resting on Peeta's knees. How did I get there? I look up, and he has also fallen asleep. A strange feeling comes over me. I feel rested. I'm glad that he is sleeping. I don't want his blue eyes to catch me in such an embarrassing position. I rise very slowly and throw a glance to his sketchbook, which is placed next to him.

The waterfall he illustrated in black and white is a masterpiece. I can't imagine what he would be able to do with colors.

"Oh, I fell asleep?" I hear his voice.

"You finished the waterfall! It's splendid, Peeta."

"I think it has a few mistakes."

"You're much too modest."

"No, I'm still only a beginner. I still need to learn, but thank you. I've always wanted to paint a nature scene like this, and this place is really perfect. Thank you, Katniss."

I'm smiling at him. As soon as I realise it, I stop smiling. I shouldn't lose control like that.

"It's a shame that we live here. You could make a living as a painter if things weren't what they are."

I think back to my conversation with Gale. It saddens me.

"You're partly right, but I don't think we're doomed."

"You are so naïve!"

"No, I just don't want to resign myself. I can still try to make my dreams come true."

"And what are you going to do? You're going to attack the Capitol and change everything?" I'm mocking him a bit.

He shakes his head.

"No, Katniss, I'd go to harass the only person in District Twelve who has access to the Royal Decree of the Capitol galleries. Haymitch."

"The alcoholic Hunger Games victor? Good luck with that. Nobody can even go into his house without being scared away."

"Well, he's my only option, and it's not like I have anything better to do. I do need more practice in painting. But I don't want to think my life won't ever change, and..." he approaches me and whispers, "…and let them rule my life."

I'm in awe.

I think about Gale. He would be surely impressed to see that there is at least one person in District 12 who wants to take his future in his hands, even if it seems impossible. But something bothers me.

"Wouldn't you mind selling paintings to the Capitol? These people take advantage of us, live on our backs, and cheer for the Hunger Games."

He takes a few minutes to reflect on what I've said.

"I see what you mean. You know, the power of art is that you can use it to change people's thinking…to show them some truth."

"That's a dangerous game. The Capitol would kill you."

"No, not if the meaning isn't obvious. Or just enough for the smart people to notice, but without breaking the law. Who knows? You can never tell what's going to happen. A week ago, Effie called my name to go into the Hunger Games, and today, I am here with you. Who would have guessed?"

"No one." He has a point. Is it possible for us to have a different future? He seems to think it is.

Peeta is an incredible person. I think I've just found one of the only dreamers of District 12. But he has a realistic way of living out his dreams. Not like Gale and I, making pointless plans to escape, then infiltrate the Capitol to kill Snow.

Suddenly, I'm looking back at the dandelion that I picked up after meeting his eyes years ago. The hope I found. The opportunities that I hadn't thought about until this very moment.

Peeta Mellark...I don't know anyone who looks like him. It's true that I don't know very many people. But he seems so different.

"Where are you from?" I didn't say that out loud, did I?

"What?"

"Nothing. Your paint is dry."

"Yes."

"Well, we'll need to get started."

"This day went by so fast."

He's right. I haven't even noticed the time passing, and despite our argument, I've had a great day. We have to get home before sunset, though.

At one point, I try to teach him to walk more lightly. But it's pointless. I give up after half an hour. And then he tells me that tonight, he needs to make the icing for a birthday cake that the bakery will deliver tomorrow. He is happy, and he tells me what he will do. I listen more than I speak, but it goes well. Besides, he is so enthusiastic that I feel like I'm a part of his bakery team.

Eventually, it's time to go our separate ways.

"Well, this was an extraordinary day," Peeta says.

I think it's over; I've just paid my debt. I don't owe any more to Peeta Mellark. We will resume our separate lives. The idea makes me sad, but we have no reason to meet again.

"Yes."

We don't move, only stare at each other.

"Well, have fun with your frosting."

"I will."

We still don't move.

"I have to go. Prim must be waiting for me."

"Katniss."

"Yes?"

"I'll make a drawing of the birthday cake so that you can see the final result, okay?"

"Okay."

I become monosyllabic again.

"I'll put it in your locker."

"Perfect."

He slides a hand through his hair.

"If some day, you have another free day, don't hesitate. I would love to go back to the forest..."

To my surprise, he doesn't wait for my answer and leaves.

I suddenly feel empty, lonely, cold and I don't know why. I have to go back.

At home, my mother is warming the stew that I didn't want to share with Peeta. Prim comes to see me.

"How was the hunt?"

"Not very good. I only brought back a rabbit and a squirrel." I can still hear Peeta's loud footsteps in my head. Then I take a bath and I recall how Peeta plunged his head in the water.

It's all over now.

That night in bed, I can't sleep. It must be because of the nap I took. Then I remember that I slept on Peeta's lap. I toss and turn in my bed, annoyed because I can't find sleep.

But eventually, I fall asleep. The next day, I see Prim running everywhere.

I have to prepare myself to find Gale. This time, I am sure that I'll bring back more game than yesterday. Gale has steps of velvet. He won't be any trouble.

"What's going on, Prim? You look upset."

"I'm looking for dad's plant book."

"It's in our mother's drawer. Why?"

"I found some roots yesterday, and I want to check something." She goes up quickly and returns with the book. She turns the pages and seems to be really bored.

"So?"

"I don't know. Our father didn't draw very well. I do not know if these are the roots are not. This book needs to be updated. Some of the drawings are even fading by now."

Suddenly, a crazy idea comes to mind.

"I know someone who could help to fix the book, Prim."

"Really?"

I know, he would probably offer to do it for free, but I have an idea.

"I think we could negotiate this in exchange for a few berries and goat cheese."

He needs to eat some more fresh food. I'm not doing this because I want to see him. I am doing it because it helps both us and him. It's a win-win-win situation.

End of Chapter 4

I hope you liked that chapter more than chapter 3 . Only 3 reviewers ( A big thank to them ). I guess I failed with the previous chapter. I was a bit discouraged. I don't really know if I'll continue to work on this or not. It's a lot of work for me and My beta ( Futurefantasywriter thank you very much ). At least I didn't want to stop without one more chapter. Give it a chance.

So I hope you liked the chapter. Please review if you did. ^^


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

This Sunday, the hunt is excellent. Our bags are full and I am delighted.

"We were really lucky today," Gale said.

We are on our way home.

"It's not luck, it's all about having light feet," I tell him, lifting my right foot and shaking it back and forth a little. I can't help but think about how Peeta probably scared away all the animals with his noisy walk. We both laugh.

"You're in a really good mood today, Catnip."

"You're nice, telling me that I'm not usually good company!"

"I did not say that!" he replies. I've teased him a lot today. He's right; I'm in a good mood.

"We should take the squirrels to the baker," Gale suggests.

I hadn't thought about that. What if Peeta is there? What if he sees me and comes to talk to me in front of Gale? I'd rather avoid that. I haven't talked to Gale about Peeta and I'd prefer to keep our friendship to myself right now.

"Huh. I want to keep the squirrels this time."

"If you want, but I may try to sell him the rabbit. I want to get cookies for Posy."

"Okay. Go alone, then. I want to spend the rest of the day with Prim."

He nods and we part. When I get home, Prim is there, waiting for me. She is curious to know what I caught, since yesterday, I came back from the woods with nothing, which surprised her. We have meat for the whole week now. I'm elated.

I decide that I won't talk to Peeta directly, but instead I'll use his locker as a mail box. That way, nobody will ask me why I'm suddenly talking to Peeta Mellark. It will keep also Gale at bay. I feel a little guilty about Gale. I have the feeling that I'm betraying him. Maybe I should talk to him about Peeta and about my project for the plant book. But at the same time. I don't want him to know. Truth be told, when I became friends with Madge, he was really mad about it. He didn't understand why I would want to waste my lunch break to spend time with the mayor's daughter.

"The mayor's daughter, Catnip? Are you serious? His father works for the Capitol. She's with them," he told me.

"She's nice, and I don't care about her father. She's just a kid like us."

"Not like us. Catnip, she is _not_ starving. She has it easy."

"You can't judge her that way. She's an outcast like us. Townies don't talk to her because she is the mayor's daughter, and neither do Seam kids for the same reason. It's just… at least try to talk to her."

"I'd rather die."

"She likes strawberries. She's willing to pay a lot for them."

He frowned and bit his lips. "Are you trying to buy me, Catnip?"

Now he sells strawberries to the Undersees. He tries to be nice to Madge when I'm with her. But I have to admit, sometimes he is just rude to her. And I know deep inside that it would be harder to make him accept Peeta. I prefer to take the guilty road for now. It's easier to deal with this than to tell Gale that I've hired Peeta for a job.

Monday comes. Gale and Rory are with Prim and me. Our school is huge, the only one in the district, so Prim and Rory are in another building. Gale has gym class this morning.

I wonder if Peeta kept his promise and put the drawing of the cake inside my locker. I'm a bit impatient to know. I open my locker and it's there. I unfold the sheet, and I see that he has spared no detail. It makes me hungry. He has written a few words:

_"The drawing as promised. Again, thank you for the beautiful day. Peeta."_

I fold the drawing and I put it at the bottom of my locker. I feel happy for no particular reason. I get out a paper to write my job offer.

"_Peeta, I have a job offer to you. I need to update a book of plants, the drawings especially…of course I will pay you. I have no money but I will pay you with food. Are you interested? Answer me soon. Katniss."_

At noon, before lunch, I go to see if I have an answer. There is one. I'm excited. I unfold the paper.

"_Can't wait to start. Peeta._

_PS: See you at the fence after school to talk about it..."_

I reply that that's okay with me, and I head to the cafeteria where Madge is waiting for me. I spot Peeta at his table with his friends, but I don't look at him.

The school day finally ends. I don't want Gale and Prim to be suspicious, so I go back with them as usual. As soon as we arrive back home, I leave to meet Peeta. I'm a little late because Vick and Prim were very chatty, so I run. I don't like to be late, and I hope Peeta will still be there.

Fortunately, when I arrive, Peeta is still there. He waited for me.

"Sorry I'm late."

He shrugs and smiles at me.

"So, you have a book to update?"

"Yes." I explain what the plant book is.

"You know I like to draw. You don't have to pay me."

I interrupt him immediately. "No. If you work, you should get paid. You accept it, or we don't do it."

"Okay, but Katniss, you know that I only have Saturdays free..."

"I know. But I have free time on Saturdays. No problem." I pause. "On the other hand...how do I say this...I would prefer that no one knows about our arrangement. I don't want silly rumors to start again, and to be honest, Gale isn't really thrilled about townies."

He frowns. I hope that he doesn't think that I'm ashamed to be seen with him in public. That's not the case; I want to just make things easier. I should have expressed myself better. He probably thinks that I don't want to be seen with him.

"I understand. Frankly, if we keep this a secret it's easier for me, too. I don't want my mother to find out either. You know how much she hates the Seam kids. I don't want to give her another reason to hate me."

I appreciate his honesty. I don't want to be a target for Mrs. Mellark or get in trouble either.

"But," begins Peeta, "to draw in the forest...we should at least find a place with a table."

"There's a cabin in the forest. There is not much inside, but there is a table and two chairs. It will be perfect."

"Oh! Sounds good, then," he says with a huge smile. "I can't stay any longer. I have work to do at the bakery. But I can't wait for Saturday." He sounds really excited. To tell the truth, I am too. That book really needs to be cleaned and updated, and Peeta is going to do amazing work.

During the week, we act as if we don't know each other.

Saturday morning finally arrives, and unlike last week, I'm eager to meet Peeta. The weather is sunny.

Once my bag is ready, I'm officially going to hunt, according to everybody else. Prim is going to spend her day with Marie, her best friend. I don't feel guilty not spending today with her.

He is already there when I arrive. The first thing I notice is that the sun brightens his blond hair. He smiles at me, and I smile back. His smiles make me just want to return my own. The cabin is less than an hour's walk. When we enter the forest, I take my bow. I will have to bring something home tonight; otherwise, Prim will be suspicious if I don't bring anything.

As we start to walk, I can't help but being annoyed by his loud footsteps.

"You don't even try to be quiet," I sigh.

"No, I know it's useless. I can't help it." He shrugs.

I guess I'll have to find a time in the afternoon to go catch something alone.

"What do you think about the other districts' tributes?" I ask. "I can't believe that the chariot parade is in only two weeks."

"Katniss, if you don't mind, can we please not talk about the Hunger Games at all?"

I'm surprised.

"Why not?" Is it because of Oliver? Oh no…I should have guessed. I'm so used to talking about the Games with Gale.

"There is nothing we can do about it right now. I…how can I explain this to you? I just don't want to do what the Capitol expects us to do. They want us to think and talk about the Hunger Games. It's another way to control our lifes. I don't want to do that. We're together here, in a beautiful and peaceful place. I don't want the Games to ruin this. The Games exist inside the fence. Here, it should be different. Please, as long as we're outside the district, let's forget the Games. We should be just ourselves."

Peeta Mellark is really a different guy. I guess he has a point. The more we talk about it, the more we are angry and depressed. It's their way to control us. To remind us. He's reminded me of what Gale said to me on the reaping day. "If no one watches, then they don't have a game." Of course we have to watch. We are forced to watch. But we are not forced to talk about it. We can decide not to.

"I agree. You're right. Let's forget the Games." I nod.

We arrive at the cabin. It's next to a small pond. The place is pretty. The cabin seems to come from a different world. Peeta is in awe. He probably had no idea that such place exists inside the forest.

"It is yours?"

"No. Yes. Well, my father found it. So…I don't own it, but it still feels like it's mine anyway."

The cabin is empty. A window is broken. It's a bit dirty, too. I know that my father wanted to transform it into a beautiful place. I made a broom when I was younger to help him. But now…my father is gone …

"Don't touch anything without my permission," I warn.

He consents. He looks inside with curiosity and admiration.

"It's small, but it has so many possibilities. I bet your father had plenty of ideas to improve it. It makes a good shelter."

I don't answer him. I don't want to talk about my father. I can't handle it.

I realize that Peeta has not moved an inch since we arrived. It remains in the center of the room, waiting. True to his word, he isn't touching anything.

"You can take a chair and sit. Do you want some tea?''

"Yes, please."

I use the stove to heat the water. Then I get two mugs that I keep here. When the water hot, I pour the tea and get out some sugar that I brought with me.

He shakes his head.

"No, thank you, no sugar for me."

I frown. "You like it bitter?"

"Yes, I prefer it like this."

I take a sip of my tea, and then I get out my father's book. I settle down next to him so we can look at it together as I turn the pages.

"It looks like an home encyclopedia." He seems to appreciate the precision of the classifications. "Your father really was skilled. I can see why your mother left everything for him."

I would ask him how he knew about that, but it is common knowledge that my mother was originally from the city.

He identifies drawings again and he asks for more details about the plants so he can be as accurate as possible. He is very serious and focused. The first drawing takes shape in his sketch book. He wants to "try it out" before reproducing it officially. He wants it to be perfect.

After half an hour, however, he seems to have trouble. He keeps rubbing his eyes. Then, he starts to sneeze repeatedly.

"Do you have a cold?"

"No."

He sneezes again, his eyes red and watery.

"What's wrong? Do you need some fresh air?"

"I think I know what it is," he says with a small voice.

"What's happening?''

"The dust. I'm allergic."

"Oh."

I've actually never cleaned here. There is nearly five years' worth of dust.

"At the bakery, we are very serious about the cleaning, and it's the same at home. My mother is a complete clean freak. She hates the coal dust. Everything shines. She makes us hunt down the dust without any mercy and everywhere, including our rooms."

He starts coughing. We go outside so he can breathe again.

"I'm sorry, Katniss."

"It's not your fault."

"We might have to stop working and start to clean."

I frown. I'm not sure I want to clean the place. Everything is the way it was when my father died. I don't want to change it, to touch it. He seems to understand why I'm suddenly upset.

"You don't want to...because of your father?"

I nod.

"You know, it's clear that your father took great care of this cabin and that he wanted to fix it. Probably for you and your sister, to have a shelter if something went wrong. I noticed the huge bag in the corner. He probably brought plenty of things to make the cabin more comfortable. I didn't know your father…but he seemed to care about his family a lot and it seems logical…"

I am shocked about what he just said. When I'm think about it, that's surely what my father planned. But Peeta's words hurt. I get the impression that I've betrayed my father. I left his cabin practically abandoned. I just wanted to it to stay the way it was when he was alive, but instead I let time destroy it. I looked at the big bag but I never dared to open it. I was too scared to. I didn't want to bring back sad memories.

Peeta looks at me, his eyes anxious.

"I'm sorry. I always give my opinion on everything. Sometimes, I should keep my mouth shut. We can find another place." He gives me a sickly smile.

"No, Peeta, you don't talk too much, you're right. It's just that suddenly feel like I've messed up. It's true that he loved this cabin, and he spent a lot of time making it perfect. If he saw it now, he would be..."

I take a big breath and try not to cry. Peeta takes my hand gently to comfort me. Then he looks at me.

"Hey, your father surely woudn't have been upset. I think that he would understand."

"Thank you. I think you're right. It's time to transform the place the way he wanted."

"Let's open that bag and see if he brought things to clean up, besides that handmade broom."

"I made that broom when I was younger."

"Really?" He smiles. "You are full of surprises."

This boy is always so enthusiastic and respectful.

"You'd be willing to help me? Even with the dust?"

"Of course; I'm not afraid of it. I'll breathe into a handkerchief, and if I can't breathe, I'll go outside. You'll see how good I am as a 'housewife.' I have sixteen years of experience in that matter." He is full of energy.

I don't know why, but I have confidence in Peeta. And I am more and more convinced that my father would be happy to see us working on his cabin.

We open the bag and my heart is beating fast. I'm anxious. I breathe in and out. Peeta notices it and pats my back. His touch is so gentle. There are a lot of things inside. Products to clean, but also some plates. Covers and towels. I gasp when I see that there are some clothes that must have been meant for me and Prim: a blue dress for Prim and a green one for me.

My father really wanted to make that place something special for us. I bite my lips. I don't want to cry, but I miss him so badly. Peeta is rubbing my back again. "Your dad loved you so much," he says softly. "You can cry. There's nothing wrong with it."

"I know. But…" I shake my head. "We have a mission now," I say with a steady voice.

We start to clean. Peeta ties a cloth around his face to avoid breathing dust. Nevertheless, from time to time, he should go out of the cabin to breathe. He fixes the window and the light comes through it.

"Katniss! Come look…"

I approach him. He has bumped into something that was on the floor in a dark corner. He takes it in awe.

"A little radio. Do you think it still works?"

"I don't know, but if you want to listen to District 12's radio station, about how great the government is, I don't want to try." I'm surprised that my father had a radio. But he was resourceful, and I guess he could have gotten it with a good trade at the Hob. He used to bring to us plenty of things. We even have an old camera somewhere. He was so much better than I am at the Hob. He had a way of getting everything he wanted for a small price.

"Maybe we can try to see if we can catch something else. Like the Capitol radio," he suggests.

I roll my eyes but let him try. He is so curious anyway.

"We can't get it, and in my opinion, it would be even worse than the district radio."

"No, Katniss. It's not what you think it's like. Delly's parents have a radio too. One time we tried to search new frequencies and we found it- the Capitol's radio station. We're not supposed to be able to get the frequency. But it is possible if you search enough."

I'm not interested, and I don't want to hear the Capitol's radio. But he is set on finding it anyway. He is quite stubborn.

"You'd be surprised, Katniss. Their programs are completely different from ours. It's not propaganda at every moment. There are songs about the glory of the government and the Hunger Games, but it's mixed with other things, too. The Capitol citizens don't need to be scared or brainwashed with propaganda. There are even songs about hope. It's totally different than you think. I mean, you've noticed how they always cut the airing of the Hunger Games for commercials or something ..."

I'm really annoyed now.

"You are a traitor, Peeta! How can you appreciate things that come from the Capitol?" I yell at him. I cannot tolerate this. Townies are differents. I had forgotten that. He lives in a different world where he doesn't mind listening to a Capitol radio station. I'm livid.

"Katniss, nothing is black and white. Seriously, the songs are different. They give me hope when I'm depressed. You should listen before judging it." He seems a bit hurt, but at the same time, he won't give it up.

He presses the button. I don't have time to say no. Clearly, the batteries are still good.

"I said no!" I'm pissed off now.

I do _not_ want Capitol radio to resonate within these walls. I'm about to grab his arm and shove him when I hear a song. The rhythm is lively and lovely. A woman is singing. I've never heard anything like it. The song is about second chances, dreams and new opportunity, not letting go, fighting for what you want. I'm speechless. This is a dangerous song. It's talking about rebellion.

I have never heard such a thing. And the singer can just sing it, no problem?

"Katniss...I know this song, this is one of my favorites." He is moving his head to the rhythm of the music. I'm stunned.

"But those words…they're dangerous."

"When you hear it here, it is, but at the Capitol, people don't live like us. For them, this is just a song about everyday problems. That's why we normally can't get the frequency here."

The tune of the song is simple and catchy. Suddenly, Peeta grabs the broom and begins to sing into it like a microphone. It's ridiculous, but obviously he's having fun. Watching him, I don't know if I should laugh or be embarrassed for him. I notice that he knows how to move his body to the rhythm. I never thought I would see anything like this. Peeta Mellark is acting like a pop star right in front of me.

I suddenly chuckle, too. Then I burst out laughing. What the hell is this thing about Peeta where you can't stay mad at him? He is so kind, and he didn't mean anything wrong. I have to admit that the song is nice. I love music; I've missed hearing it. The song is really effective. It brings hope. I still have mixed feelings, since it's a song straight from the Capitol, and I still understand why the frequency is forbidden. Suddenly, though, I think we could find strength to rebel just because of that song.

"Come on, Katniss. Shake your body. It's fun. It's good to release pressure from time to time. Delly and I were dancing a lot, like we were crazy or something. Just let your body move with the music."

He has some nerve if he thinks I'll make a fool of myself. He is wrong. Another song starts, and it has the same playful, upbeat tone as the last one. This time it's about a girl who says she'll never get back together with her boyfriend, and she sounds happy about it.

He also knows this song. I want to dare him a little.

"Why don't you actually sing, instead of lip-syncing?"

"I can't sing really well."

"So? Don't be embarrassed," I tease.

"I'll sing if you dance with me."

It seems fair enough. Besides, nobody else is there. "Okay."

And he begins to belt the song. He really massacres it. He doesn't hit a single right note. How can this cute boy sing so badly?

"You were right, you suck."

He shrugs. He takes my hand and move closer to me to guide me to dance. Since we had a deal, I accept.

"I don't have your pretty voice, that's for sure."

"What?"

How does he know I can sing? Since my father's death, I don't sing anymore, except for Prim on a few rare occasions.

"Your voice is so beautiful that the birds stop singing to listen."

"How do you know that? Besides, it's not true!" My tone is aggressive.

"The first day of school in kindergarten. The teacher asked who knew the valley song and you volunteered."

"Oh." I had forgotten that, but it's true. I relax. I'm a bit surprised he remembers that day.

"You had two braids instead of one then. That day, my father admitted to me that he had wanted to marry your mother but that she had left him for a miner with a golden voice."

I gasp. Today has been full of surprises. It feels weird to think that Mr. Mellark was once in love with my mother. Especially since she never talks about him, except to praise his bread.

Peeta leads me to dance. He dances really well, much better than he sings. He is so happy and it's contagious. I can't believe that I'm dancing in his arms, and that it's even fun. What is happening to me? But I can't resist his smile, his incredible happiness. I just let go, for once, and allow myself to have fun. I almost forgot what it was like to have fun and be silly until today.

"Get ready, Mellark. Follow me if you can."

We do a bit of everything and it's a complete mess most of the time. Sometimes, a bit of rock, which ends kind of in a waltz. I even need to refrain from humming. Dancing is already different enough!

With Peeta, I find my rhythm. We bump our knees together sometimes and I step on his feet twice. We increasingly dance faster and we laugh. My daily worries are gone from my mind. I feel the music, and Peeta's beautiful blue eyes seem to have the power to make me forget everything.

Since we're acting crazy, I lose my balance and fall on him, hard. We are both on the ground with my head on his chest. His chest is firm and muscular, but I don't focus on this long, because I'm mortified and stand up immediately.

He is grimacing uncomfortably. He presses his hand to the right side of his skull.

"I think that my head hit something. I'll have a nice bump."

Oh no, it's my fault.

"You're not bleeding, right?''

He looks at his hand. No blood. I approach him.

"Can I see?"

"Yes, be careful."

I run my hands through his hair, which is thick and soft. I feel the bump. It's pulsating.

"Does it hurt?"

"A little, but your warm hand feels good."

"Really?"

He nods. I don't move my hand.

Peeta's stomach growls and I come back to reality.

I look at the clock. The afternoon is already well underway.

"It's time to eat." I help him stand up, because we are still on the ground. I realize that the household is practically finished, except for the floor. The inside of the cabin is as charming as it was when my father was alive. I am moved.

The sun beats through the windows and we are both sweating.

Peeta lifts up one of his sleeves when I see a big bruise on his arm. He sees my eyes grow wide and quickly replaces the sleeve.

"What's that bruise?"

"Nothing."

"Show me again."

"It's nothing, Katniss...I got it during wrestling training."

I get the impression that he's not telling the truth. But he continues, "The coach was a bit rough on us, and that's the risk of being a wrestler." He starts to laugh as if nothing had happened. "But if I want to beat my brother one day, that's the price." He takes a bit of his sandwich.

It's possible that he was telling the truth after all. I give him the goat cheese Prim made for him and some berries to go with it. He has a big appetite. I share my stew too. I accept his bread. Even if it's a bit elastic, it tastes fantastic.

After we clean the floor, the cabin is incredibly different. It shines as if it's almost new.

"Next Saturday, we'll concentrate on the book," he says. We have to go back home now. I didn't notice how quickly time was passing.

Before closing the door, I look inside the cabin again, the place where Peeta and I dance and laugh. And I wonder if it is reasonable to build new memories here. Memories where my father is not present. My heart sinks. Even when I came here with Gale, it wasn't the same. We were just there for shelter from the rain. We didn't build anything here. I wonder if my father is happy.

I close the door. Peeta is near the pond looking for fish. Suddenly, a gust of wind sweeps the place and brings white dandelion seeds, floating in the wind before me. Peeta smiles and waves at me. I catch some airborne seeds, and I have the strange feeling that I have just had my answer.

End of chapter 5

Author's note : Hi ^^ Thank you very much for the reviews.

Just a little note about the characters. As you can see my Peeta isn't shy around Katniss just like he wasn't after the reaping in the book. He didn't dare to talk to her in my fic before, for the same reason that are in the book ( and implied in the movie ). He felt guilty for the way he threw her the bread and she seemed to ignore him and she was with Gale. But Now, it's different, she talked to him. He had been reaped and thought he was going to die. He is a very enthusiastic guy, very social and outgoing like he seems to be in the books too. Except here, he isn't reaped either and doesn't have the pressure of his imminent death on his shoulder. Katniss never fake being in love with him and rejected him. He isn't conflicted. So, Peeta isn't a shy guy around her. He is embracing his luck, now he and Katniss are talking.

As for Katniss, well , she wasn't reaped either. Her struggle is to find food for her family but she can't be the same than she was in the books. Like Peeta , she hasn't the pressure of being in the hunger games. So in this fic, the capitol (unlike in the book ) doesn't rob her of the sweetness of first love Her feelings aren't wrapped with her own survival and how they will appear to an audience. All she is feeling is genuine, same for Peeta.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If it's the case, review please ^^


	6. Chapter 6

Hi. This isn't a chapter. I'm disappointed my the lack of interest my fic recieves. I understand the fic isn't interesting enough for you to read and reviews. I still want to thank : PercabethFanatic and pumpkinking5 for their reviews for Chapter 5. kakitamariko , thank you too. You are french and already read the story . Thank you for your review too.

Now you have to know that to translate my fic from french to english is taking hours for me and then my amazing beta . Futurefantazywriter takes also her times to beta it.

Now, if some of you still want to read the fic, it's called **Et si nous d'eux** in the french section and of course the author's name is the same , since it's me.

Have a nice day.

Veronique2


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